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Migraine and rare neurological disorders

  • THE SPECTRUM OF MIGRAINE COMORBIDITIES
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Abstract

Although migraine is generally considered an idiopathic and isolated neurological condition, it may also represent the presenting symptom of several uncommon heritable and acquired neurological diseases contributing to the recognition of such conditions. Migraine may indeed present with atypical characteristics or prolonged duration and may be associated with specific neuroradiological findings that may help in identifying the underlying condition. However, features of migraine in rare diseases are usually little known because of the lack of systematic studies. The aim of this paper is to provide clinicians with an updated review on specific clinical and neuroradiological features of migraine in uncommon neurological diseases that may be helpful to their diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, the early diagnosis of these uncommon diseases is crucial for patients’ clinical management and for the implementation of therapeutic approaches aimed at targeting the underlying disease pathogenic mechanisms. Thus, when investigating patients affected by migraine, physicians should always be aware about rare causes of migraine that if misdiagnosed could seriously impact patients’ outcome. Given these relevant implications, future studies specifically assessing features of migraine in uncommon diseases are mandatory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cerebrovascular Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Emma Scelzo, Eugenio Agostino Parati & Anna Bersano

  2. Department of Neurology, Alfried Krupp Hospital, Essen, Germany

    Markus Kramer

  3. Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Markus Kramer

  4. Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Neurological Institute, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

    Simona Sacco & Raffaele Ornello

  5. Headache and Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy

    Alberto Proietti

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  1. Emma Scelzo
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Scelzo, E., Kramer, M., Sacco, S. et al. Migraine and rare neurological disorders. Neurol Sci 41 (Suppl 2), 439–446 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-020-04645-6

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